Crimson Rivers
by Isame Kuroda
Summary: The memory of thin, delicate, fragile—broken—form on his arms, the memory of fierce, pungent hatred toward the man in front of him. The man name Kurosaki Isshin. The memory of resentment about being considered an abomination that did not deserve to live… All those memories crushed down upon him and suffocate him.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Any concept you do not recognise may or may not belong to me, however.**

**Co-Author: Shionch.**

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0.

Prologue

''Oh dear, what a bad truck, are you all right Ichigo?'' Masaki inquired, she pulled out a handkerchief from her purse and wiped the smudge that covered her son's face with it. ''I am sorry, here, let us switch side, I will walk on the wayside.''

Ichigo shook his head. ''No, it is all right Momma; I use a raincoat so I am fine. I will protect momma from the car like that one.'' He said.

''How reliable.'' Masaki smiled. ''However, as long as you not yet win from Tatsuki in kumite, I cannot allow you to take on the wayside, hmm? I did not understand what you say dear, there, it is clean now.''

''I said, I got an ippon before!'' Ichigo said in indignation.

Laughing, Masaki stood up to her feet and ruffled her son's spiky hair. ''Come on, let us go home.''

''Momma, can I hold your hand?'' Ichigo inquired.

''Of course'' Smiling, Masaki held out her hand, which the boy took with a bright blinding grin.

They began to walk again, passing by the river that separated the Karakura town and the city of Naruki. Three days of constant rainfall had left the river with a raging, menacing stream. The water flowed liked a wailing beast could be heard clearly even above the noisy pitter-patter of the rainfall.

''Momma can you make a chocolate cake tomorrow?'' Ichigo inquired.

''Sunshine, you cannot eat only sweet.''

''But Momma, Uryuu promised to visit tomorrow.''

''Oh, I see, chocolate cake it is then.'' Masaki smiled, understanding, joyful and a bit sly.

''Thank you Momma'' Ichigo grinned.

Ichigo glanced briefly at the riverbank. Through the rain hazy curtains, Ichigo could make up a small figure clad in white standing at the edge of the river. A more thorough inspection revealed the figure to be a young girl.

Ichigo halted mid-step. ''Momma, please wait here.'' Letting go of her hand, Ichigo gripped the steel framework and pulled himself to jump over the fences. Then, he ran down the high-pitched glebe as fast as his little feet could carry him toward the young girl.

Ichigo heard his mother yelled at him to stop running. However, he cannot stop now; he almost reached her.

Suddenly, his mother was in front of him. Her left hand glowed with white, light-shaped bow, which she aimed above the young girl's head.

That was when he saw it.

An outline of something inhuman was standing behind the young girl. A cold, primal fear gripped at his heart. Every fibres of him, screamed at him to run. His mother made a motion with her right hand. An arrow of light appeared on the bow. However, before she could release it, the light flickered before vanishing. The thing in front of them lifted up its claw, ready to strike his mother. Before his mind could comprehend, Ichigo jumped and with all his might, he pushed his mother away from the thing.

He felt something sharp rammed against his chest, then, a metallic tasted in his mouth, and then, the pain.

The whole world froze during that endless moment. White mask, monstrous claws tearing his chest, his mother terrified voice — but all of sudden, everything became so distant. It did not matter anymore. The only thing that mattered was the name.

Vivienne, His Heart, His Soul, His Queen, the Yin to His Yang.

Then, there was another name: Uther, the Black Wolf. During that moment, he remembered everything. No, not remembered, 'remembering' was an understatement. He flushed by the memories pouring at him like an ice-cold water.

The stench of blood mingled with the fresh autumn air. Green grasses and wild flowers at the beginning of the battle were nowhere in sights. Everything had drowned, ankle-deep, in the sea of blood.

''Run, Uther the Wolf is here!''

''No you idiot! What, did they teach you in the Academy?''

''Ou-uh-AAAHHH''

''We need to tell the Captains now!''

''They are fighting Vivienne du Barry!''

''She is here too! We are done! We are finish!''

''We are all going to die!''

''No, we must fight!''

''No please, no please, please no please— AHHH''

He laughed as those weaklings fell one by one. Yes, they were weak, so ridiculously weak he felt some pity toward them. ''Do not resist, and I shall end your suffering'' More screaming, more running, more pointless attempt to attack him. Do those Shinigamis have no instinct of survival? Were they not familiar with self-preservation? Were they not able to understand that he was stronger than any of them could ever be? They were stupid. They all deserved to die. It was not his fault. It was the law of nature: the weaklings died, the strongest survived — and he was the strongest.

Besides, the Shinigamis had started this war. The Shinigamis claimed his clan as malignant, heartless beast and decided to wipe his family out. It was a stupid decision, just as stupid as the Shinigamis were.

''Stay away from me you abomination!'' The last one from the group yelled, waving his zanpakutou like a feather duster — pathetic.

He smiled. ''I am not an abomination. I am Master of the Blood, the Lord of the Night, and I am here to protect my family.'' He snarled. ''Protect the living and avenge the dead.'' He raised his zweihänder to end the life of the pathetic weakling in front of him—

''That is enough Uther.''

Uther turned his gazed to the man who dared to stop him. ''Your named?'' He inquired, flicking his wrist, releasing the Shinigami Captain Vice-like gripped with eased.

''Shiba Isshin, Captain of the 10th Division'' He answered.

''Hmm, do you think you could defeat me Captain?'' He inquired, swinging his zweihänder at the Captain's neck. Captain Shiba drew his zanpakutou from it scabbard, blocking the Night Lord's zweihänder a hair away from decapitating his head.

Uther tilted his head to the side, impressed.

From the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of the pathetic weakling whom his afterlife he was going to end a moment ago, charging at him with his zanpakutou raised above his head. It was almost comical. Uther clucked his tongue in distaste.

The Captain's eyes widened. ''Wait, no—''

All that was left of him were a gruesome mess scattered over the blood-drenched, grasses.

Captain Shiba glared murderously at him. ''Getsuga Tenshou'' He intoned coldly, his zanpakutou let out a spark before firing a crescent-shaped beam that hit Uther squared on his chest. The force of the attacked was sending him flying several miles away from where the Shinigami Captain was standing.

The King of the Night Lord landed non-to-gently and rolled several time on the blood-drenched grasses before skidded to a halt. Raising his head up, he glared at the Captain before disappeared into his shadow.

The shadow under Captain Shiba's feet suddenly elongated. The realisation came too late to Captain Shiba, before he could react; Uther had locked his movement with his own shadow, rose out of it and sank his sharp fangs on the Shinigami's left shoulder.

Uther gave the Captain credit for not screaming.

''Hadou #11, Tsuzuri Raiden'' Captain Shiba said through gritted teeth. A yellow, electric current ran through the Shinigami's body and lashed out at him. Letting go of his hold, Uther jumped back away from the Shinigami.

Captain Shiba spun around with his arm held out and shouted ''Hadou #63, Raikouhou!" An orb of yellow lighting appeared on his palm, and shot out toward the Night Lord.

Licking the blood on his lips, Uther stroke the ground with his zweihänder and intoned ''Getsuga Tenshou''

Crimson waves burst out of the ground and then moved and meet with the lighting midway. The two colliding forces created a bright, blinding explosion that illuminated the dark battlefield for a brief moment.

Wasting no chance, Uther blurred out of view and reappeared in front of the Shinigami. The Captain looked at him with wide eyes. Uther smirked. Black tendrils of darkness erupted out of the earth, encasing them both within the sphere of darkness.

A white energy blast out of the sphere of darkness, violently ripping it apart until disintegrated to nothingness, revealing the Shinigami Captain down on his knees, panting. He was quite battered; his right arm, the one that held his zanpakutou was bleeding, while his opponent did not even broke a sweat.

''Is that all you have?'' Uther inquired, tilting his head to the side. ''I was expecting more from a Shinigami—''

He froze, his heart stopped beating. No. Not his — _her_

''_Vivienne_''

He ran. He ran screaming her name, but there was no response. Only emptiness, that horrible emptiness, panicked, and pain. He felt nothing, yet, he felt everything — everything worst that one could ever feel. He ran, and ran and ran, not even noticing the meaningless creatures around him. Everything was meaningless now — except for running to her. Yes her — yes, there she was! As beautiful as ever — but why was she laying on the ground? Why she does not moving? Why he cannot hear her heartbeat? Then, all those bloods—

''_Vivienne_''

No. No, she was not. She cannot be.

''Vivienne, Vivienne, do you hear me? Open your eyes and tell me you hear me Vivienne!''

Falling on his knees beside her motionless body, he already knew there would be no response. Yet, he could not believe it. She was his heart, his life, his darkness and his life.

''Vivienne'' He whispered, holding her, caressing her smooth pallid cheek, leaving smeared of red from his blood covered fingers ''Yin to my Yang…''

Her eyes closed; her lips were pale and bloodless. Not, even the slightest breath was stirring her chest.

''No, no'' He shook her body in desperation ''Vivienne look at me!''

''Uther''

The Night Lord raised his gazed, his vision was not clear. He tried to ignore the hot acid that was gathering under his eyelids.

''You have lost. Your Queen is dead, and your generals are retreating.''

''You will pay for this… all of you.'' He promised. He could not concentrate properly on the fight — or anything — anymore. Even rage was not rising inside him — only grief. Grief, bitterness and sorrow, how could he let her fight on her own? She was so strong, so passionate in her confidence… he should have known better. He should have been there to protect her. He should have!

''What are you doing?'' Captain Shiba inquired. ''Are you going to yield? We were not to bargain or take any hostages. The order is to kill you Uther.''

''You already kill me.'' Not letting go of Vivienne, he stood up and looked at Captain Shiba in the eyes. ''Come on. Finish what you have started.''

''You want to die?''

''I want to follow my heart. If this meant death, then I shall gladly die, and you Shiba Isshin. You and the rest of your kind shall be curse. A murder of love shall get his love murder.'' He took one last long looked at his Queen countenance. 'We will meet again Vivienne.' He thought before closing his eyes.

"I am sorry.'' Uther heard him whispered.

''Getsuga—''

Uther did not hear the end of the sentenced.

Gasping eagerly for breath, Ichigo opened his eyes. ''Do not cry mother.'' He said, standing up. ''And stay away.''

Masaki shook her head ''No Ichigo!'' She tried to shield him with her body from the monster but he evaded her grips. ''I said, stay away!''

Masaki's face turned blank. Obediently, she stepped away. Ichigo could feel how she struggled to regained control over her body, but he could not let her do it now — for her own safety.

''Oh, have a little something to entertain me before I eat you?'' The hollow inquired with a gruesome grin.

Ichigo smiled back at the hollow. ''I am sorry, I do not have time for entertainment.''

Then, the hollow exploded, torn into piece by its own blood.

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**Thank you very much for reading! *bow gratefully***

**English is not my native language, my Deepest Apologies for any incorrect grammar and tenses you find. Please tell me what you think.**


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